Dental Health, Periodontal and Buccal Hygiene Condition of a Group of Brazilian Women with Breast Cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The condition of buccal health of patients with cancer may adversely affect the course of treatment, demanding well established conducts of buccal pretreatment through dental evaluations and stabilization of buccal problems. Objective: To evaluate the condition of buccal health prior to chemotherapy, in a group of women with breast cancer assisted in a hospitalof the public system of Campinas, São Paulo. Subjects and methods: In the period 2005-2007, informative lectures were carried out on indications of preventive and curative odontological treatment. Among women interested, 43 having breast cancer were referred to the Service of Dentistry of the institution and evaluated according to the dental condition and need of dental treatment index (DMFT); Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPI) and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified. Results and discussion: The mean age of assisted women was 52.5 years, and 70% had tumors in clinical stages II and III. In odontological evaluation, 9.5% of the participants had deep periodontal pockets and 60% showed a regular level of oral hygiene; DMFT was 23.5 teeth and 51% belonged to the women who had their last consultation more than 3 years ago. Due to the scarce number of teeth, there was a reduced volume of odontological procedures to be done. Conclusion: Subjects presented low predominance of dental caries and advanced periodontal disease due to the great number of absent teeth, demanding only low complexity odontological control procedures. Oral hygiene condition was regular.